On the evening of March 19th, the "Boluodan Temple Fair", dating back a thousand years ago, kicked off grandly at the Nanhai Temple in Huangpu District, Guangzhou. As one of the largest traditional folk temple fairs in Guangzhou, it opened at night for the first time, with 300 lights arranged to combine modern lighting and visual effects with the ancient temple scene, creating an immersive cultural feast of intangible cultural heritages.

The opening performance featured a magnificent spectacle of luminous dragons and lions dancing together, impressing the audience withthe majestic integration of martial arts, drum beats, opera, and dragon-lion dances. Creative digital technology was employed to present magnificent scenes like "Setting Sail" at the Maritime Silk Road, offering a fresh audio-visual experience.

Zhao Weibin, the provincial inheritor of the Lion Dance Intangible Cultural Heritage in Guangdong and the President of the Guangzhou Dragon and Lion Dance Association, stated that dragon and lion performances are popular folk arts enjoyed by the masses. This year, with the employment of lighting techniques, the opening ceremony showcases a splendid dragon-lion performance combining strength and gentleness, embodying the vibrant inheritance of this millennium-old traditional folk custom.

Moreover, in the Cantonese opera performance of "Eight Immortals Celebrating Longevity," auspicious phrases such as "peaceful nation and happy people," "longevity and eternal youth," and "wealth and prosperity" attracted attention. The program featured key performances such as the parade of the five children statues from the Nanhai Temple, a birthday celebration, and a blessing ceremony, reflecting the festive atmosphere of this traditional cultural heritage to the greatest extent.

The "Boluodan Temple Fair" serves as an important showcase of the cultural heritage of Guangzhou, a significant carrier of the essence of the"Maritime Silk Road" culture, and anoutstanding witness to the continuous prosperity of Guangzhou's maritime trade. The temple fair this year not only includes traditional rituals such as the sea sacrificial ceremony but also incorporates the setup of a food street and an intangible heritage market, as well as trendy activities like fellowship parties themed on "Boluodan Temple Fair," creating a splendid collision between history and modernity.

In the creative market, cultural and creative products including T-shirts, mugs, canvas bags and notebooks related to the millennium temple fair covered all aspects of life, designed with exquisite and ingenious patterns featuring elements of the "Boluodan Temple Fair," conveying both personality and practicality. Ms. Wang, a citizen, told the reporter, "Nowadays, young people enjoy trendy and innovative things. I didn't expect the 'Boluodan Temple Fair' to be so innovative. Hopefully, more friends will get to learn about the Maritime Silk Road culture."

It is reported that the 2024 "Boluodan Temple Fair" will be held from 9:00 to 18:00 from March 20th to March 22nd, offering a variety of folk and trendy events as well as a traditional cultural feast for citizens and tourists alike.